Pacific Masters Swimming - 11th July 2010

I missed/cancelled most of my 2010 races due to injury, including

• Bay to Breakers (20^th May, run)
  
• Escape from the Rock (20^th June, triathlon)
• Alcatraz Challenge (18^th July, aquathlon)
• Marin Century (7^th August, bike)
• San Francisco Triathlon at Alcatraz (29^th August, triathlon)
  

Fortunately my knee problems (discoid meniscus) (see following posts) didn't prevent swimming, so long as it was freestyle i.e. relatively little leg motion, knee bending or impact.

The 2010 Pacific Masters Long Course Championship was held in UC Santa Cruz from July 9^th to 11^th. I competed as part of the USF team on Saturday July 10^th. Given my injury and lack of training, I was very pleasantly surprised by my performance - it was faster than at my "peak" in my teens when I trained five or six times a week, and often raced twice a month.

• 200 LC Meter Freestyle: 2:28.36 (splits 1:05.37, 1:22.99)
• 400 LC Meter Freestyle Relay: 4:13.97 (split: 1:00.09)
• 50 LC Meter Freestyle: 26.58

My lack of recent race-experience and stamina is telling from my 200 meter splits - they are embarrassingly front-loaded. I also had my share of race-drama - my goggles broke as I was about to mount the blocks for my relay swim. Luckily a teammate promptly loaned replacements.


Official results. Official splits.

Here's hoping I can get race-fit in time for the Pacific Masters Swimming Short Course Meters Championships, on October 8^th through 11^th.

Swim distance converters:

• Swimming World
• Huntsville Swim Association